Well it has been a very busy time for me over the last few months.

I have been busy finishing off the painting on the house in preparation for our new arrival due in May.

Maddy has been up and running now for a few months so that is keeping me very busy as well, and to top it all off work has gone through the roof in 2010.

Here she is putting on a show:

I have developed a new, combined training and nutrition program that I will be launching very soon. I have had 15 people + myself in trial mode for the last month on it and it has had some amazing results across all levels of ages and fitness.

It has been a tough month, with some days having two sessions a day, but all the work is really paying off.

Since I last posted here I have dropped from 93kg to 85kg, you can check out exactly what I have been doing here at www.succeed.com.au

I am really looking forward to the arrival of our 2nd bundle of joy and having a few weeks off with all of my wonderful family.

Lisa is really starting to struggle the 2nd time around, but she is doing an awesome job, only about 10 weeks to go now…

I will endeavour to post a bit more regularly.

Scott Williams

Succeed Personal Trainer

Here is a little video of my little girl being very cute over the last few days.

First part at our pool and now the last she is putting on a show for us at the coast house.

Check it out:

After a long year we are finally on holiday’s. Looking forward to Christmas with family and friends.

For all of my clients have a fantastic Christmas break, I look forward to seeing you again in the New Year.

Scott Williams

Fitness Business Coach

Well it has been a hectic few months for me I must say.

After having a week off at the Hyatt Coolum, I then headed straight to Orlando Florida for the Fitness Business Summit

As you can see it was a tough few days!!!!

Anyway after returning from Orlando I headed back home for a few short days to get back to work and to put some of the stuff I learnt into place.

I then headed off to Perth for the 2009 Australian Fitness Awards and also to sit on a panel of experts to discuss various topics in regards to our Countries Health etc.

I am very pleased to say that we have the 2009 Australian PT Business of the Year for the 2nd year in a row. Which is great.

More so on a personal level I was very excited to be asked as the Australian Fitness Expert to sit the panel which I thought was amazing and very also very imformative for those in the crowd.

Check out a little clip from the panel:

Scott Williams

Fitness Business Consultant

Hey all,

Sorry I haven’t been on this blog for a while. I have been travelling all over the world and have been a little short on time…

Anyway had a few weeks at the Fitness Info Summit in Orlando Florida and it was awesome.

Really learnt some great tips for getting info products out there, both for Personal Trainers across the world and also the general public.

Stay tuned for a whole bunch of exciting programs that I will be launching for Fitness Trainers very soon…

Whilst I was away check out what my little girl has learnt to do:

She has learnt to stand all on her own and I don’t think it will be long before she takes her first steps.

Just to let you all know that one of my organisations Succeed Personal Development has just been announced as the 2009 A.C.T Personal Training Business of the Year for the third year running and I am off to Perth next week to see if we can again win the big award of the 2009 AUSTRALIAN  Personal Training Business of the Year.

I am really looking forward to the trip as have also been asked to sit an expert panel on stage for a question & answer segment of the night.

Really looking forward to what is set be a great night with MC  & host James Brayshaw, who is sure to keep us all entertained.

For all finalists across all categories I wish you all the best of luck on the night.

I look forward to meeting you and having a drink to together and discussing how we can best help each other out in our amazing industry we work in.

Yours in Fitness Business Coaching,

Scott Williams

Succeed Strategies Fitness Business Consultant and Mentor

Here are a few MUST DO’S to start up  & build your fitness business without breaking the bank!

1. Set Up a Website
In the 20th century, customers expect any decent business to have a web presence. If you are yet to do it, this the number tip I can provide at this point in time.

Did you know that around 78% of people looking for services now head straight to the internet over any other source ( telephone books etc)?

If you know how to create one yourself that’s GREAT, but if not, they are not hard to set up at all and can be done for less than $1000… If you are interested in getting a website set up for you that once set up you can do yourself very easily ( even I can do it), leave me a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP to assist in setting it up for you.

• These sites are a make your own using an easy CMS system ( content management system through Word Pess. Vital to use Word Press for various reasons but it is one of the top ranked websites with google ( very important for your business). See the video below:

httpv://wordpress.tv/2009/05/30/matt-cutts-google-sf09/

• These websites are very user friendly and with our online training, walk you through how to create or work with your web site. Personally I think wordpress is the easiest and most profitable way to build a website.
• Make sure your website has information on what services you offer, and is geared towards your target audience. It should contain your classes you run, locations you work from, contact information, pricing options, and hours of availability etc.
• Once your website is up and you’re happy with it, submit it to the major search engines such as Yahoo! and Google. Include any cities or areas that you would like to cover, and use key words that correspond to how your target audience would search. For example, Canberra Boot Camps, Canberra Personal Trainers, Boot Camp Canberra, weight loss programs, Fitness Trainers Tuggeranong etc…. 

2. Marketing Tips ( that won’t break the bank)

›You can advertise your fitness business for free by placing an ad with your local directories ( very important for google ranking).

› You should post blogs at least weekly to your website to keep the google spiders checking your site. Be sure to use the same kind of key words as above so different searches will find your business.

›You can have business cards printed up quite inexpensively by using web based sites ( look on the net for a range of pricing options in your country, but you should be able to get 1000 cards for around $100 delivered max) .

 ›You can send your own design ( advisable), or you can choose from the many templates they have available. If you wish to save money on a graphic designer then do a contra deal for services for the design.

›If there are government departments or corporations in your area, talk to their HR department about offering a free classr seminar to their employees. Focus on the benefits of healthier lifestyles for themselves + employees will improve their employees’ health, reducing use of personal time and health benefits due to illness (i.e. saving their company money!!). If the employees like your demo, then you can offer your ongoing services.

›Be sure to attend any functions you can having your business cards on hand ready to go. Look for any business networking functions you can attend as well that might open a few doors for you.

›Find some human billboards and train them for FREE.. Put an ad on facebook looking for 10 people to train for FREE ( great way to get referrals).

3. Find a niche market to target

This is one of the biggest mistakes made by people when setting up a fitness business on a budget.

If you don’t focus on a specific area, it is very difficul to market and focus enough toward a set area. Once you find your niche market it is easy to speak a language that will get them wanting to join and sign up.

For example, if my market is for mum’s then I know that these comments would spring to mind for them:

• getting back to your post baby weight
• having more energy to keep up with the kids
• you don’t have enough time train
•  having more energy
• getting that flat stomach back

As you can see these words an phrases would not suit the general population.

Always picka niche and be grea at that chosen demorapic.

The list could go on, but if you have any other ideas I would love for you to post them in the comments section below.

Here to help you grow your fitness business,

Scott Williams,Owner CEO of the current Australian Personal Training Business of the Year

If you’re like most personal trainers, I’m pretty sure that you want to gain more clients and earn more profits?

What is the best way to market these days?

Yes that is right through email marketing. Email marketing is now second only to the search engine marketing as an effective and cost efficient strategy.

The main thing about email marketing is that it’s very cost-effective. If you have your website set up correctly each time someone hits your website and asks for more information, or you provide a free report on your website, they get dumped straight into your email database. Pretty cool for not much time or effort.

When they have signed up, you start building an opt in list of emails. You can now start sending them newsletters through their emails. Along with those newsletters, you may also include promotions of your products and such. Basically, you can use email marketing to sell your stuff.

The main benefits of building your own list is that majority of people who have been to your website are interested in the products you have to sell.

Within the space of a few years, here in Canberra my Personal Training Business has over 2000 people in the email database…. Great place to start for a direct email for anyone of our fitness programs we run.

 It is a simple marketing technique where you send out an email to an email list. The same as the good old days of posting a letter, only that the letter is sent through email.

While the people in your list have agreed to receive information or newsletters from you, make sure you only send them emails that are useful and informative. Keep what you are trying to sell very subtle otherwise, you will just annoy them and then you get branded a spammer.

Could it be considered spam?? Did you know that 95% of all emails are considered spam these days… so keep it relevant for them?

If you’re sending out emails to your database, make sure that your emails are, useful and informative for the client. You need to ensure that what you send out is something they would read and are interested in attaining.

Some important points to consider:

• make sure that you structure your emails well
• make sure the email subject will grab their attention
• aside from that, make sure that these people are interested in what you have to say or sell to them in the first place.

Summarising:

 Email marketing can be a great tool for your personal training business, so ensure you use it correctly.

There is no faster way to kill your emails than by looking like you are a spammer!!

Leave me a comment below and let me know how you have built your database?

When searching for a personal trainer, it is necessary for you to educate youself on how to select / interview the right person for the job. While there are many certified personal trainers out there, only a select few of them are truly skilled at personal training.

You should always ask and verify where their certification is from and what their credentials are. Ask them to see their resume of certificates. If they are a good qualified trainer they will be proud to show.

There are different types and levels of training certifications. Most tests are multiple choice questions that are moderately difficult and some others require some essay or program design but are usually easy, and i do not know too many people that fail the course.

 What you need to look for is the C.E.C’s (continuing education courses) the trainers have taken. It is these practical workshops and seminars they attend that make a trainer better. 

Below are some fundamental questions that should be asked before making your choice in trainer. They are designed to save you from choosing a bad one.

Questions you should ask:

 * How long have they been a trainer?
* What certifications do they hold?
* Do they attend workshops and seminars? Which ones?
* How thorough was your evaluation? Did they do a medical history and test flexibility, core strength, muscle strength and endurance?
* Are they familiar with functional training (training according to daily activities or a specific goal)?
* Have they explained the importance of flexibility?
* Do they stress how important it is to properly brace the core and preserve the lumbar spine?
* Do they know what P.N.F(Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) stretching is?
* Can they explain what they are going to do in the coming weeks of your training? Did they explain the benefits to you? 
* Did they explain that cardio alone is an inefficient workout?
* Do they have a basic understanding of nutrition?

If you already have a trainer you can evaluate them:

* Does your trainer understand that a core routine is not a series of floor exercises?
* Are you doing more free weights and medicine balls than machines?
* Do they ever take notes?
* Are you being properly warmed up at the beginning and being stretched at the end?
* Does your trainer change the routine regularly?
* Does you trainer incorporate balance boards, swiss balls, single leg exercises and other challenged environments?
* When training the core (midsection) does your trainer explain how important it is to do dynamic movements as well as isometric exercises and the importance of low back exercises?
* Does your trainer target weak areas?
* If you feel pain in places that you should not like your knees, low back and neck does your trainer change or modify the exercise to a pain free range?
* Do you truly understand what you are doing while you train?
* Are you really getting results?
* Do you do more back exercises than chest and abs?
* Are you setting goals?
* Are you talking about you and your needs?
* Are you getting undivided attention?

If you answered no to any of these questions, then your trainer may be lacking key knowledge that is necessary for you to reach your fitness goals. More importantly, your trainer may be doing you more harm than good.

 It is simple for a trainer to deceive an unsuspecting client into believing they are knowledgeable. This is due to the general public not being educated about the fitness industry and trusting a gym will provide them with a competent trainer.

In most cases, gyms are not always concerned with the quality of the people they are hiring. If a gym thinks a trainer possesses strong sales skills, they will hire them as long as they have some type of certification. A qualified fitness professional will understand at the very least everything listed above.

Be aware of trainers that are charging low rates. The going rate for a high level trainer is around $60-$90/hr even their entry level trainers are $40-60/hr. There are other trainers that charge way more than the rates just mentioned. 

You may be able to get a really good trainer for $90-$100 depending on travel time, trainers charging much less are either just starting out, not that good or a close friend. You get what you pay for.

 It is important you do your research to make sure they are currently certified by Fitness Australia. 

Ask who they work with and get at least three references to call from current clients. See if they work with any local doctors, all the good trainers work with at least one doctor.

Remember when hiring a trainer to make sure they are a full time professional. Part time does not cut it when it comes to your health. Would you go to a part time Medical Doctor?

Scott Williams training his client hard

Scott Williams, Personal Training and Boot Camp Consultant

New Succeed Website

For six years I have headed a successful Canberra personal fitness business called Succeed Personal Development. Over the years the  business spent several thousand  dollars on website development and online advertising.

Although the Succeed website always looked great it never seemed to attract visitors unless we paid for advertising through the Google Adwords program. Google Adwords is a program that allows website owners to advertise on Google’s search results and when an ad is clicked the visitor is directed to the advertisers website, Google then charges a fee for the click.

Old Succeeed Website

Advertisers bid for what they are prepared to pay for each click, unfortunately as more advertisers come online, the cost of clicks becomes very competitive and can rise substantially.

When we first started with Google Adwords, we were paying around $150 per month, but those costs rose to over $400 per month yet the number of visitors didn’t rise accordingly, so we became very disillusioned.

That’s when I met Bill Burdin from First Person Branding who gave me the overview of a strategy he suggested we implement with our website to gain visitors organically from search engines and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Bill’s strategy was to convert our current static website into website that was built to web 2.0 standards and to target Google Local Search.

I must say, as Bill was explaining the concept to me, I had imaginary dollars ticking up in my head, I thought the costs would be astronomical but to my amazement I established the new website for a few hundred dollars and am now saving several hundred dollars each month on Google Adwords which we no longer use.

Within a month of launching the new website I have been blown away with the results, our site is starting to own the search results relative to our business, especially in Local Search results. We are prominent at the top of search results, and it costs us nothing to be there, which is a lot better than paying hundreds of dollars each month like we used to.

We are also starting to see a steady stream of new business generated from Facebook and Twitter which is something I never really thought possible until Bill convinced me to put the strategy in place. So as you can see I am absolutely delighted with our new Succeed website and the assistance First Person Branding have given.

WINNER!!!!

I am pleased to announce that one of my businesses ( Succeed Personal Development)  has just WON the Telstra Australian Micro Business of the Year Cba.

After an intense seven weeks of going through the nomination process, sitting a two hour interview panel, getting shortlisted and then having to submit figures and numbers and being grilled with questions in regards to why we should even make the finals of the awards, the culmination was at the Telstra Australian Business of the Year Awards night held at Hotel Realm in Canberra, Australia on Friday 24th July 2009.

The night was an amazing experience with a fantastic energy and buzz in the room with all the current finalists, previous finalists, judges and Honourable Members of Parliament in attendance, the night was the who’s who of Australian Business.

Read the rest of this entry »